Is your motivation waning? Are you feeling deprived because your favorite recipes are off-limits? Meals should be satisfying, good tasting, pleasing to the eye, nutritious, and have a texture that is pleasing to your palate. Otherwise, you will feel deprived. The good news? It is easy to modify some of your favorite recipes by using the sensational substitutions listed below. You don’t have to eat a sparse and boring "diet meal" any longer.
Cooking Substitutions
| Instead of… |
Try… |
|
1 Cup Cream
|
1 Cup Evaporated Milk
|
|
Cream to Thicken Soups
|
Pureed Potatoes or Vegetables
|
|
Oil-Based Marinades
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Citrus Juice or Flavored Vinegar
|
|
Stick Margarine
|
Small amounts of Olive oil, Canola oil or broth
|
|
2 ounces of Mild Cheddar Cheese
|
1 ounce Reduced-Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese
|
|
White Rice
|
Brown rice, Bulgur, Kasha, Quinoa, Whole-Wheat Couscous
|
|
Meat or Poultry for Stir Fry
|
Tofu (Extra Firm, Cubed) or more Vegetables
|
|
Ground Meat
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Ground Turkey Breast; Finely Chopped Vegetables with Less Meat; Crumbled Tofu, Tempeh, or Soy Crumbles; Beans
|
Baking Substitutions
| Instead of… |
Try… |
|
1/2 Cup Oil, Butter or Margarine
|
1/4 Cup Applesauce + 1/4 Cup Canola Oil, Butter or Margarine
|
|
1 Egg
|
2 Egg Whites
|
|
Sweetened Condensed Milk
|
Nonfat Sweetened Condensed Milk
|
|
Evaporated Milk
|
Evaporated Skim Milk
|
|
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
|
1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips, Chopped Dried Fruit or Chopped Nuts
|
|
Frosting
|
Sliced Fresh Fruit with a dusting of Powdered Sugar
|
|
Sour Cream
|
Nonfat Sour Cream, Low-Fat Sour Cream, Pureed Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
|
|
Whole Milk
|
Skim Milk
|
|
Cream Cheese
|
Low-Fat Cream Cheese
|
|
Sugar
|
Artificial sweetener for some or all (follow manufacturer’s directions); 1/4 to 1/2 Less Sugar in the recipe
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